Cranberry and Cornmeal Cake

If March had a theme, it would probably by simple but elegant.

Take this cake. There is no need to fuss. In fact, if you like to bake you probably already have most of these ingredients in the house. But the combination of the light texture from the cornmeal and the bright citrus of the orange complemented by a touch of sweetness and you have a dessert that is both satisfying and simple.

I put this cake together for a dinner party and it was gobbled up in no time. For an extra special touch, you can use some of the left over orange juice and some powdered sugar to make a glaze.

Ingredients
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for the pan
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the pan
1/2 cup yellow fine cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup orange zest (from 2 large oranges)
3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar (you could easily use just 1 cup - the extra 1/4 cup makes it a touch too sweet for a "breakfast cake")
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
2 large eggs

Optional:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbs (or more) of fresh orange juice

Directions
Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with baking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. Measure 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture into a small bowl. Add the chopped cranberries and toss until coated. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the egg yolks and whole eggs, 1 at a time. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Using a spatula, gently fold in the cranberries.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake until the cake is golden brown, and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (The cake can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight in a plastic container.)

Mix the orange juice and powdered sugar together in a small bowl. Add orange juice to the mixture until it is thin enough to drizzle over top of the cake. Spread or dot the top of the cake with the glaze. Cut the cake into wedges and enjoy!